Box-blank-folding table.



J. K. STEWART.

BOX BLANK FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I4. I9I6.

:. 2% II 33 1 0 Patented J an. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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i. K. STEWART.

BOX BLANK FOLDING TABLE.

APPUCATION FILED APR. 14, 1916.

mw mn Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z .I' v I M I I F M 5 v ATTUR/VE J. K. STEWART.

BOX BLANK FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, ms.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ME News FEVER: (0,. PNOTO-LITNO WASHINGmN, n c

J. K. STEWART.

BOX BLANK FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1986.

m1 3M2; Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

JAMES K. STEWART, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, OF CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA, A

ASSIGNOR TO PIONEER BOX COMPANY, CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

BOX-BLANK-FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aran. as, rare.

Application filed April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,004.

'lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns K. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis city, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Box-Blank- Folding Table, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a table for facilitating the folding of foldable box blanks, especially of the wirebound crate form.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the apparatus in use; Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section of the upper portion of the device, with a wirebound crate blank in position to be folded; Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2, with the parts in folded position; Fig. 4 a plan of the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, a fragmentary portion being shown in horizontal section just below the table; Fig. 5 a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 a modification.

In the drawings 10 indicates a suitable supporting base frame, provided with two pairs of upwardly extending brackets 11, 11, and 12, 12. Secured to the two brackets 12, 12 are outwardly extending side boards 13, 13, which are connected at their outer ends by a cross piece 14, the upper edges of these side boards extending above the normal level of the receding table 15. Table 15 is designed for the reception of the bottom section of the foldable blank, and is supported by four legs 16 which are slidably mounted in the base frame 10. Attached to the lower end of each leg 16 is a cord 17 which is passed from thence upwardly over an idler 18, supported in frame 10, and thence downwardly to a counterweight 19, the arrangement being such that the counterweights are sufficient to bring the table 15 to its receiving level. Attached to each side of the table structure just described are brackets 21 arranged in pairs, and to each pair of brackets is pivoted a folding frame or arm comprising a pair of cam arms 22,

and a cross bar 23, the cam arms resting upon a supporting guide, in the form of a cross bar, 24, attached to the frame 10. The brackets 21 are bolted to frame 10 by bolts 25 in such manner that they may be vertically adjustable on the frame, and the bar 24 is supported upon brackets 26, which may be vertically adjusted on the frame 10.

One pair of arms, as shown at" the right in Fig. 2, is longer than the other and conveniently lies quite close to the cross bar 14 when in theposition shown in Fig. 2, and the cross bars 23 of the two pairs of arms, when in their normal position, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 2, are just a trifle above the normal level of table 15, the arrangement being such that when the parts are in their normal position, the cross bars form supports for the top section T and side sections S of the box or crate blank, while the bottom section B is supported on table 15, and the other side section S is suspended on its binding wires between the bottom B and the top T which is also supported by the cross bar 14 in a slightly inclined position, in the folding direction.

In order to center the foldable blank upon table 15 said table is provided at opposite sides, at right angles to the axes of the arms 22, with vertical flanges 30, provided on their inner faces with depending spring fingers 31, and similar spring fingers, though somewhat longer, are mounted on the inner faces of the brackets 11 and 12, and the side boards 13, as indicated at 32.

The device which has been described may be used at any point, but it has been especially designed for convenient use in conjunction with an endless carrier 35 which will bring to the operator, at about the level of the normal position of table 15, the articles 36 which are to be packaged.

In operation, the foldable blank will be laid in position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the operator will place upon the bottom section B the article 36. The weight of this article is sufficient to overcome the counterweights 19, and, consequently, the table 15 will immediately drop, the arms 22 at the same time, by coaction with the supports 24, folding toward each other and thus swinging the sections S, S and T to ward each other, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the final movement bringing the parts, with the exception of the top section T, automatically to the positions indicated in Fig. 3. The reason for making the righthand arm 22 longer than the lefthand arm, is to carry the top section T upwardly far enough so that, with the momentum it has acquired, it will be surely carried up into convenient reach of the closing operative and will not swing downwardly and backwardly as the side section S is carried up. As soon as the parts reach the position indicated in Fig. 1, this movement being entirely automatic and due to the applied Weight of the article 36, the top section '1 may be swung down quickly by the closing operative and the binding wires twisted together in the usual manner. It will be understood that if ends for the package are to be placed, they may be readily placed before the top section is closed, but after the parts have reached the depressed and folded position.

It will be readily understood that if several articles are to be placed within the package, and these articles cannot be placed en masse, the automatic lowering of the table may be prevented, during the placing of the articles, by means of a catch 40 and a foot lever 41 controlling the same.

I claim as my invention:

1-. Means for folding a foldable package blank, comprising a table for the reception of one section of a package blank, means for engaging adjacent sections of the blank and holding the same substantially in the flat with that section supported by the table, and means for producing a relative motion between the table and section-engaging means for folding said sections into position substantially at right angles to the table and section supported thereby.

2. An apparatus for folding package blanks, comprisinga main frame, a vertically-movable table supported thereby and arranged to receive an intermediate portion of a foldable package blank, swinging arms arranged adjacent said table and in position to engage other portions of the package blank when in an extended condition, and means controlled by the movement of the table for swinging said swinging arms into blank folding position.

3. An apparatus for folding package blanks, comprising a main frame, a verticallyrmovable table supported therein by means yielding to a preponderant weight, swinging arms pivotally supported upon said table at each side thereof and adapted to engage portions of the blank and holding the same substantially in the flat with that section supported by the table, and means for engaging said arms to cause the same to swing toward each other as the table descends.

l. An apparatus for folding package blanks comprising a main frame, a downwardly movable table adapted to receive an intermediate section of the package blank, arms pivoted at opposite sides of the table and adapted to engage sections of the blank flanking that supported by the table, means controlled by the downward movement of the table for swinging said arms to cause folding of said flanking blank sections, and means for yieldingly supporting the table in its upper position.

5. An apparatus for folding package blanks comprising a main frame, a downwardly novable table adapted to receive an intermediate section of the package blank, arms pivoted at opposite sides of the table and adapted to engage sections of the blank flanking that supported bythe table, and means controlled by the downward movement of the table for swinging said arms to cause folding of said flanking blank sections.

6. An apparatus for folding package blanks comprising a main frame, a down wardly movable table adapted to receive an intermediate section of the package blank. arms pivoted to the said table and movable therewith at opposite sides and adapted to engage sections of the blank flanking that. supported by the table, and means engaging said arms to cause them to swing toward the table into positions substantially at right angles thereto upon the downward movement of the table.

7. An apparatus for folding package blanks comprising a main frame, a downwardly movable table adapted to receive an intermediate section of the package blank, arms pivoted to the said table and movable therewith at opposite sides and adapted to engage sections of the blank flanking that supported by the table, means engaging said arms to cause them to swing toward the table into positions substantially at right angles thereto upon the downward move ment of the table, and means for yieldingly supporting the table in its upper position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at St. Louis, Missouri, this twentyfourth day of March, A. I). one thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

JAMES K. STEWART.

Copies on this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

